Bearing assemblies including enhanced selected support for nonuniform loads, bearing apparatuses, and methods of use

Abstract

Embodiments of the invention are directed to bearing assemblies configured to effectively carry nonuniform loads, bearing apparatuses including such bearing assemblies, and methods of operating such bearing assemblies and apparatuses. In an embodiment, under some operational conditions, one or more portions of the bearing assemblies and bearing apparatus may be preferentially loaded, such as to carry preferentially higher loads (e.g., radial and/or axial loads) than other portion(s) of the bearing assemblies and bearing apparatus.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A bearing assembly, comprising:
 a support ring; and 
 a plurality of superhard bearing elements mounted to the support ring, the plurality of superhard bearing elements being distributed about an axis, each of the plurality of superhard bearing elements having a superhard material including a superhard bearing surface;
 a reinforced portion that has a span angle defined by two reference lines intersecting at the axis, wherein the reinforced portion includes each superhard bearing surface entirely within the span angle and/or any portion of any other superhard bearing surface partially within the span angle; and 
 an unreinforced portion defined by a vertical angle of the span angle, wherein the unreinforced portion includes each superhard bearing surface entirely within the vertical angle and/or any portion of any other superhard bearing surface partially within the vertical angle; 
 
 wherein a collective superhard bearing surface area of the reinforced portion is at least 15% greater than a collective superhard bearing surface area of the unreinforced portion. 
 
     
     
       2. The bearing assembly as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the span angle is between 5° and 72°. 
     
     
       3. The bearing assembly as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the the collective superhard bearing surface area of the reinforced portion comprises a substantially uninterrupted bearing surface. 
     
     
       4. The bearing assembly as recited in  claim 1 , wherein:
 the unreinforced portion includes one or more of the plurality of superhard bearing elements, the one or more of the plurality of superhard bearing elements of the unreinforced portion are configured to carry a predetermined maximum load; and 
 the reinforced portion includes one or more of the plurality of superhard bearing elements, the one or more of the plurality of superhard bearing elements of the reinforced portion are configured to carry 90% percent of the predetermined maximum load. 
 
     
     
       5. The bearing assembly as recited in  claim 1 , wherein:
 the plurality of superhard bearing elements collectively define a total bearing surface; and 
 the superhard bearing surfaces of the reinforced portion define 80% percent of the total bearing surface. 
 
     
     
       6. The bearing assembly as recited in  claim 1 , wherein each of the plurality of superhard bearing elements includes a superhard table including the superhard material, the superhard table bonded to a substrate. 
     
     
       7. The bearing assembly as recited in  claim 6 , wherein the superhard tables are bonded to the substrates along a non-planar interface therebetween. 
     
     
       8. The bearing assembly as recited in  claim 7 , wherein the superhard tables have a nonuniform thickness. 
     
     
       9. The bearing assembly as recited in  claim 1 , wherein outermost superhard bearing elements in the reinforced portion include one or more of a chamfer or a radius between the peripheral surfaces and the second superhard bearing surfaces thereof. 
     
     
       10. The bearing assembly as recited in  claim 1 , wherein at least one of the superhard bearing surfaces is convex or concave. 
     
     
       11. The bearing assembly as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the bearing assembly is configured as a thrust-bearing apparatus or a radial-bearing apparatus. 
     
     
       12. The bearing assembly as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the span angle is between 25° and 60°. 
     
     
       13. The bearing assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the reinforced portion includes at least two of the plurality of superhard bearing elements, the at least two of the plurality of superhard bearing elements of the reinforced portion are positioned circumferentially immediately adjacent to each other, wherein each of the superhard bearing surfaces of the at least two of the plurality of superhard bearing elements of the reinforced portion exhibits a larger surface area than each of the one or more of the superhard bearing surfaces of the unreinforced portion. 
     
     
       14. The bearing assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of superhard bearing elements are arranged about the axis in at least one row extending through the reinforced portion and the unreinforced portion. 
     
     
       15. The bearing assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the collective superhard bearing surface area of the reinforced portion is at least 25% greater than the collective superhard bearing surface area of the unreinforced portion. 
     
     
       16. The bearing assembly of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of superhard bearing elements includes at least two first superhard bearing elements and at least two second superhard bearing elements that are different than the at least two first superhard bearing elements;
 wherein the at least two second superhard bearing elements are different than the at least two first superhard bearing elements in at least one of a shape, a size, a height that the superhard bearing surface thereof extends from the support ring, an amount of exposed surface area, or a thickness of a superhard table thereof; 
 wherein the reinforced portion includes the at least two first superhard bearing elements and the at least two first superhard bearing elements are positioned circumferentially adjacent to each other; 
 wherein the unreinforced portion includes the at least two second superhard bearing elements and the at least two second superhard bearing elements are positioned circumferentially adjacent to each other. 
 
     
     
       17. The bearing assembly of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the plurality of superhard bearing elements includes at least two first superhard bearing elements and at least two second superhard bearing elements; 
 the reinforced portion include the at least two first superhard bearing elements and the at least to two first superhard bearing elements are positioned circumferentially adjacent to each other; 
 the unreinforced portion includes the at least two second superhard bearing elements and the at least two second superhard bearing elements are positioned circumferentially adjacent to each other; 
 the reinforced portion exhibits a first average circumferential spacing between the at least two first superhard bearing elements; 
 the unreinforced portion exhibits a second average circumferential spacing between the at least two second superhard bearing elements; and 
 the first average circumferential spacing is less than the second average circumferential spacing. 
 
     
     
       18. A bearing apparatus, comprising:
 a first bearing assembly including:
 a plurality of first superhard bearing elements, each of the plurality of first superhard bearing elements including a superhard material having a first superhard bearing surface; and 
 
 a second bearing assembly including:
 a plurality of second superhard bearing elements distributed about an axis, each of the plurality of second superhard bearing elements including a superhard material having a second superhard bearing surface, the second superhard bearing surfaces positioned to slidingly engage the first bearing surfaces during operation;
 a reinforced portion that has a span angle of less than 72° defined by two reference lines intersecting at the axis, wherein the reinforced portion includes each second superhard bearing surface entirely within the span angle and/or any portion of any other second superhard bearing surface partially within the span angle; and 
 an unreinforced portion defined by a vertical angle of the span angle, wherein the unreinforced portions includes each second superhard bearing surface entirely within the vertical angle and/or any portion of any other second superhard bearing surface partially within the vertical angle; and 
 
 a support ring secured to the plurality of second superhard bearing elements; 
 
 wherein a collective superhard bearing surface area of the reinforced portion is at least 15% greater than a collective superhard bearing surface area of the unreinforced portion. 
 
     
     
       19. The bearing apparatus as recited in  claim 18 , wherein the first superhard bearing surfaces collectively form a substantially uninterrupted bearing surface. 
     
     
       20. The bearing apparatus as recited in  claim 18 , wherein each second bearing surface entirely within the span angle has a surface area that is at least 30% greater than a surface area of each second superhard bearing surface entirely within the vertical angle. 
     
     
       21. The bearing apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein the reinforced portion includes at least two of the plurality of superhard bearing elements, the at least two of the plurality of second superhard bearing elements of the reinforced portion are positioned circumferentially immediately adjacent to each other, wherein each of the second superhard bearing surfaces of the at least two of the reinforced portion exhibits a larger surface area than each of the one or more of the second superhard bearing surfaces of the unreinforced portion. 
     
     
       22. The bearing assembly of  claim 18 , wherein the collective superhard bearing surface area of the reinforced portion is at least 25% greater than the collective superhard bearing surface area of the unreinforced portion. 
     
     
       23. The bearing assembly of  claim 18 , wherein the plurality of second superhard bearing elements includes at least two third superhard bearing elements and at least two fourth superhard bearing elements that are different than the at least two third superhard bearing elements;
 wherein the at least two fourth superhard bearing elements are different than the at least two third superhard bearing elements in at least one of a shape, a size, a height that the superhard bearing surface thereof extends from the support ring, an amount of exposed surface area, or a thickness of a superhard table thereof; 
 wherein the reinforced portion includes the at least two third superhard bearing elements and the at least two third superhard bearing elements are positioned circumferentially adjacent to each other; 
 wherein the unreinforced portion includes the at least two fourth superhard bearing elements and the at least two fourth superhard bearing elements are positioned circumferentially adjacent to each other. 
 
     
     
       24. The bearing assembly of  claim 18 , wherein
 the plurality of second superhard bearing elements includes at least two third superhard bearing elements and at least fourth second superhard bearing elements; 
 the reinforced portion include the at least two third superhard bearing elements and the at least to two third superhard bearing elements are positioned circumferentially adjacent to each other; 
 the unreinforced portion includes the at least fourth second superhard bearing elements and the at least two fourth superhard bearing elements are positioned circumferentially adjacent to each other; 
 the reinforced portion exhibits a first average circumferential spacing between the at least two third superhard bearing elements; 
 the unreinforced portion exhibits a second average circumferential spacing between the at least two fourth superhard bearing elements; and 
 the first average circumferential spacing is less than the second average circumferential spacing.